Neff Brewing Apollo Blonde Ale

Neff Brewing Apollo Blonde Ale

Dedicated Gluten Free In Oklahoma

Today I’m tasting the Apollo Blonde Ale by Neff Brewing in Tulsa Oklahoma. This American Blonde Ale is packaged in 12 ounce yellow cans that are consistent with the brand’s space designs. I’m not sure how far they get distributed outside of Tulsa, but the brewery is fairly new, so if you’re in-state but don’t have distribution access yet…let them know you want it!

Neff Brewing is the only dedicated gluten free brewery in the state of Oklahoma (and those surrounding it), which makes this brewhouse pretty special. Like finding water in the middle of an endless desert. Right there in Tulsa.

The Apollo Blonde Ale is brewed on a malt base of millet, buckwheat, rice and quinoa, which makes for a delicious grain bill! It has a 5.5% ABV and 30 IBU. If any of you out there have had the Apollo on draft, I’d love to hear how it compares to the canned version. (Drop your notes below!)

The Taste Test

Apollo American Blonde Ale

The Apollo Blonde Ale is a beautiful beer. Mine poured with an enormous head that took its time at the top of the glass. The most notable visual aspect is definitely the carbonation. It’s doing a beautiful dance around the glass. It looks just like a swarm of swallows as they move through the sky morphing into various collective shapes.

The Apollo is a perfect shade of blonde. It’s light yet vibrant, and incredibly revealing due to its crystal clear nature. I get a bit of sweetness on the nose, but other than that, its aroma is pretty clean and unassuming.

My first sip of the Apollo revealed a similar quality in the flavor profile. First off, this beer is as light as it looks. The flavor is gentle and I love the malt background. The 4 grains play so well together, and provide such a mellow backdrop to this blonde ale. The quinoa and rice keep the body light, while the the buckwheat leaves mild texture and the millet imparts some biscuit flavors.

The Apollo Blonde Ale also has a gentle honey sweetness in the flavor, but overall, is not a super sweet beer. It’s light in all ways really. My favorite part is still the carbonation character. It doesn’t feel as strong as it looks, but it offers the perfect amount to compliment the beer’s mouthfeel.

It’s also worth noting, this blonde isn’t nearly as fruity as many of the other gluten free blondes on the market. It’s easy-drinking and clean. Not the most interesting, but would play nice in just about in any drinking situation. In my opinion, it’s a fantastic staple among Neff Brewing’s flagship beers, and would be a great choice for those of you who like your beers light-bodied and low on the fruit scale.